Communication

3 Easy Ways to Incentivize Faculty with a Weekly School Newsletter

Dr. Kara Stern
2 min read
Hands of two people using the same laptop.

Numbers don’t lie.

Stats show that recognizing employees for great work builds workplace loyalty. 88% of employees think rewards are important, and folks who don’t feel adequately recognized are twice as likely to look for a new job. But if your budget is super tight, what to do?

Good news: for most people, non-cash incentives are just as effective.

Enter the school newsletter 🥁

Do you write a weekly faculty/staff newsletter? If not, let’s go! A weekly memo is an excellent way to appreciate individual team members for their great work. If you can throw in a cup of coffee or some cookies, great. If not, the public recognition is really what matters in building loyalty and a celebratory school culture.

So, what would that look like?

3 ways you can cheer for folks in your weekly newsletter:

GIF of people dancing and calling woo woo

Principal’s Hall of Fame…

  • Feature two or three faculty or staff members each week who you’re recognizing for a common accomplishment (most helpful, most creative, fastest to complete paperwork, etc.)
  • Write a sentence describing what each one has accomplished
  • Get a quote from each with a tip for how they’ve accomplished what you’re recognizing them for

The Staff Recognizes…

  • Link to a Google form each week, and invite faculty & staff to send a “shout out” to a colleague who’s helped them in some way
  • The following week, publish all the “shout-outs” for a weekly feel-good

Special Editions

  • Every month, create a “Special Edition” newsletter
  • Feature the work of one or two faculty members
  • Share lots of pictures of their classroom, an interview with them, and quotes from colleagues, students, and parents
  • Send the “Special Editions” to the entire school community, as a way of giving public support and praise to faculty members

Continuity in a school has a direct impact on student success, so let’s give your faculty a reason to stick around.

No need to face an empty page. Get started with this template!

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Dr. Kara Stern

Dr. Kara Stern began her career as an ELA teacher, then shifted into administration as a middle school principal. Dr. Stern is a fervent advocate for equitable communication and family engagement. She spent five years as Executive Director at Math for America, where she designed the professional learning community that exists to this day. An unexpected move to Tel Aviv launched her into the world of EdTech where she became the Director of Education Content for Smore and then the Head of Education Solutions at SchoolStatus. Outside of work, she indulges her love for reading, devouring two novels weekly, with a particular fondness for heists and spy stories.

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